ILOILO City – A significant step towards agrarian reform has benefited 18,918 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in Western Visayas, who are now free from the financial burdens associated with their land, thanks to the enactment of Republic Act 11953, also known as the New Agrarian Emancipation Act.
This law, which was signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on July 7, 2023, condones all loans, including interests, penalties, and surcharges incurred by ARBs from lands awarded under three key agrarian reform laws.
These laws include the Tenant Emancipation Decree of 1972 by the late President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law of 1988 from President Corazon Aquino’s administration, and the legislation from 2009 extending the scope of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program.
According to Atty. Sheila Enciso, director of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in Region 6, this move has made a significant impact.
“In the region, over 18,000 are benefiting from the outright condonation provided by the law,” Enciso said.
Enciso further explained that the list of 18,918 ARBs, whose debts were fully condoned, originates from the Land Bank of the Philippines.
She anticipates that the number of beneficiaries in the region may increase as there are about 763,000 hectares of agricultural land nationwide still classified as “unclassified” and managed under collective Certificates of Land Ownership Awards (CLOAs). These lands are eligible for the condonation program, with 182,000 hectares of them located in the region.
To streamline the identification of ARBs, DAR Region 6 is validating the collective CLOAs managing 182,000 hectares through the DAR’s Project Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling (SPLIT). This project aims to identify ARBs managing these lands to facilitate the issuance of individual land titles.
Enciso expressed confidence that the annual amortizations of qualified ARBs would be condoned before President Marcos’s term ends. She cited the significant financial relief this provides to the farmers, who can now redirect their funds towards purchasing farm inputs and improving their land cultivation.
Previously, ARBs were required to pay for their lands in annual amortizations to the Land Bank of the Philippines over a maximum of 30 years at an interest rate of six percent.
“The condonation of these payments frees up a considerable amount of money annually, which is significant for farmers who can now invest in fertilizers or other farm inputs,” Enciso said.
While the exact amount paid by the government in annual amortizations for the 18,918 ARBs is yet to be disclosed as the records are held by the Land Bank, the government has allocated approximately P53 billion nationwide to implement Republic Act 11953.
The law also imposes a 10-year prohibition on selling the awarded land, with severe penalties for violations, including disqualification from the land reform program. Disqualified beneficiaries will see their lands re-awarded to other qualified individuals.
ARBs are also required to cultivate their awarded lands diligently; failure to do so may also result in disqualification. To support these efforts, the national government provides farm machinery and inputs. However, beneficiaries are encouraged to form organizations or cooperatives in coordination with their Municipal Agrarian Reform Officers and Municipal Agriculture Offices to facilitate access to these support services.
Enciso noted that those who had fully paid their amortizations or managed to pay early would be prioritized in receiving support services./PN
